Press-shy Hagel takes a wrong turn

Except for a single unusual interview with a home state newspaper, the former Republican senator from Nebraska has been steering clear of the press ahead of his Senate confirmation hearings next week. So reporters were quite surprised when he wandered into the Senate Press Gallery at the Capitol.

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Hagel, who’s been out of the Senate for four years, was in search of the men’s room. He found one inside the press gallery. By the time he exited, a gaggle of reporters was waiting for him. Hagel had ignored reporters’ questions earlier in the day so the press was eager to get a word in.

Hagel, perhaps realizing the perilous situation he was in, left quickly and gave a few non-answers to reporters’ questions as he went.

Asked by POLITICO whether he still believes the Pentagon is "bloated," as he said in September 2011, Hagel responded, "We have a hearing next week, and I'll look forward to answering questions then."

Asked which issues were broached most frequently in his meetings with senators, he said that there are "lots of questions, lots of important issues" that he'll be talking about Jan 31.

And asked how his meetings with senators were going, he responded, "Good — how are yours?"

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 7:29 p.m. on January 22, 2013.